Jack mechanism for circular knitting machines

ABSTRACT

An improved slider jack system for circular knitting machines having a rocker jack disposed in direct contact with and selectively actuated by the dictates of a pattern controlled slider jack. A compound cam member having a first camming surface for engaging the operating butt on a selectively raised rocker jack to raise the latter to knitting height and a second camming surface for contacting the operating butts of all non-selected rocker jacks to move them into an inactive position.

United States Patent 191 Moyer Dec. 2, 1975 I 1 JACK MECHANISM FORCIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES [75] Inventor: James D. Moyer, Winchester,Va.

[73] Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation,

Pittsburgh, Pa,

221 Filed: Sept. 10, 1973 211 Appl. No; 396,065

[52] US. Cl. 66/50 R; 66/57 [51] Int. Cl. D04B 9/00; DO4B 15/32 [58]Field of Search 66/50 R, 14, 40, 42 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,631,817 6/1927 Houseman66/40 2,913,887 11/1959 Ducharme... 66/50 B 2,952,147 9/1960 Ziemba66/43 3,136,145 6/1964 Coile 66/50 B X 3,246,486 4/1966 Janda et al..66/50 B 3,530,688 9/1970 Lombardi v. 66/57 X 3,662,572 5/1972 Lonati66/50 R 3,726,110 4/1973 Conti 66/40 3,742,732 7/1973 Plath 66/50 B X3,802,225 4/1974 Carrotte.....

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 159,977 7/1940 Germanym, 66/50 R 471,6819/1937 United Kingdom 66/50 B 645,550 9/1962 Italy a 66/57 521.2645/1940 United Kingdom 66/50 8 1,195,671 6/1970 United Kingdom 66/50 RPrimary E,\'aminerW. C. Reynolds Assistant ExaminerAndrew M, Falik [57]ABSTRACT An improved slider jack system for circular knitting machineshaving a rocker jack disposed in direct contact with and selectivelyactuated by the dictates of a pattern controlled slider jack. A compoundcam member having a first camming surface for engaging the operatingbutt on a selectively raised rocker jack to raise the latter to knittingheight and a second camming surface for contacting the operating buttsof all non-selected rocker jacks to move them into an inactive position.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures US. Patent Deg. 2, 1975 Sheet 1 of 23,922,886

TLE- E1 Sheet 2 of 2 3,922,886

US. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 JACK MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINESBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In circular knitting machines of therotatable cylinder type a well known means for selectively actuating theknitting instrumentalities is that of a pattern controlled slider jacksystem. engaged the known type of slider jack systems it is commonpractice to transmit the dictates of the pattern controlled slider jackdirectly to a needle actuating jack. Circular knitting machines whichutilize a slider jack system must have a cylinder of sufficient lengthto accommodate the circular series of needles, needle actuating jacksand slider jacks which are slidably mounted in the slots formed on theperiphery of said cylinder. The slider jack must be raised a sufficientdistance so as to raise the needle actuating jack or intermediate jackto a level where its operating butt will be engeged by a cam member andraise said jack to knitting height which in turn will raise itsrespective needle to the required height to perform its intendedfunction.

With slider jack systems of this type it is common practice to employ aso-called divider cam often referred to as the over and under system.Such cams are disposed so that needle actuating jacks or intermediatejacks by means of their operating butts will be raised to knittingheight when selected by the slider jack and if not selected follow aninactive pathway below and in front of the divider cam. With such sliderjack systems the operating speed of the machine is quite critical. Thelength of the various jack elements and the distance they must movewithin their respective slots to accomplish their function is sufficientto generate frictional heat. When the knitting machines are operatedwithin their recommended ranges of speed the normal amount of heatgenerated presents little or no problem; however, with the trend towardgreater productivity by operating the machines at greater RPMs, seriousproblems have developed. One such problem is that of overheating and thebreakdown of the required lubricant for the knitting instrumentalities.Another very serious condition is that of misaligned needle actuating orintermediate jacks whereby their operating butts assume a position whichwill not selectively raise or allow said jack to follow the inactivepathway. Such a condition will cause the operating butt to strike theend of the divider cam creating what is termed as a smash which ofcourse necessitates considerable downtime of the machine to make thenecessary repairs.

The improved jack mechanism according to the present invention hasovercome the problems described above and provides a mechanism whichenables a circular knitting machine to be operated at substantiallyhigher RPMs than has heretofore been possible and includes a safetyfeature for the positive cancellation of all jacks not positioned forbeing raised to knitting height.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improved jack mechanism of the presentinvention includes a slider jack having patterning butts andcorresponding pattern controlled selector slide cams which are arrangedto selectively raise the slider jack approximately one fourth thedistance of slider jacks of known systems. Within each cylinder slot arocker jack is operatively associated with each sliderjack andintermediate the needle and said rocker jack there is provided a needlelifter jack. The rocker jack includes an operating butt adjacent theirlower ends which are rocked outwardly in a known manner from theirrespective slots by a so-called presser cam.

A compound cam member having first and second camming surfaces isdisposed so that its first camming surface will engage the operatingbutts of the rocker jacks selectively raised by their respective sliderjacks and raise them the required distance to effect movement of thelifter jack to place its needle at a location to effect its intendedfunction. The second camming surface of this cam member is located so asto engage the operating butts of all rocker jacks not in position to beacted upon by the first camming surface and is effective in moving saidjacks to an inactive position.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved sliderjack system for circular knitting machines which will permit saidmachines to be operated at speeds substantially greater than has beenheretofore possible.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved rocker jackcam system having means for moving all rocker jacks not selected to aninactive position.

A further object of the invention is that of providing a slider jackwith a greater range of patterning selectivity for the knittinginstrumentalities than has been heretofore possible with known sliderjack systems.

These and other objects of the invention will become more fully apparentby reference to the appended claims and as the following detaileddescription proceeds in reference to the figures of the drawingswherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portion ofa multi-feed circular knitting machine to which the improved slider jacksystem according to the invention is applicable,

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line and in the directionof the arrows 2-2 in FIG. 1 showing the slider jack system according tothe invention,

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 showing by means of full anddotted lines the limit of movement which the lower end of the rockerjack is moved outwardly by the presser cam,

FIG. 4 is a developed view of the cam track formed by the cam means ofthe invention showing rocker jack butts in both their active andinactive positions,

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 showing a rocker jack inselected position with its operating butt in engagement with the cammeans of the invention,

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the cam means of the invention showing theoperating butt of a rocker jack as it is cammed to an inactive position,and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6 but showing the operatingbutt of a rocker jack in that position where the jack will be raised toknitting height.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As the general construction andoperation of a circular knitting machine, to which the present inventionis applicable, is well known and familiar to those conversant in theart, and as the invention is entirely concerned with an improved sliderjack system for such machines, it is only considered necessary here toillustrate and describe those parts which are directly concerned with apreferred form of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings there is shown a portion of amulti-feed circular knitting machine including a frame member 10, arotatable cylinder 11 having slots 12 for slidably mounting a circle ofneedles 13. In FIG. 2 there is shown a portion of the inner sinker ringat 14, a dial sinker 15, the outer sinker ring 16 with one of itssinkers 17 all of which cooperate with the needles 13 at four knittingstations or feeds indicated diagramatically at 18, 19, 20 and 21 in FIG.1.

Within each slot 12 of the cylinder 11 there is also slidably mounted alifter jack 22, a rocker jack 23 and a slider jack 24 having selectorbutts 25 at a plurality of butt levels which are adapted to be acted onby corresponding pattern controlled selector slide cams one of which isdepicted in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 by numeral 26.

The cam member for effecting actuation of the needles 13 is'shown at 27in FIG. 2 with the usual form of stitch cam deck below said camidentified by numeral 28. A presser cam 29 assembles to the underside ofthe stitch cam deck 28 by means of a screw 30 and as the cylinder 11 iscaused to rotate is effective in rocking the rocker jack 23 from thedotted to solid line position shown in FIG. 3. A jack retaining ring 31by means of a screw 32 (FIG. 2) assembles to the outside diameter ofcylinder and is so disposed as to serve as a guide for the upper portionof the rocker jack 23 and the lower portion of the lifter jack 22.

A cam box 33 is positioned below the presser cam 29 and carries a rockerjack lowering cam 34, and the compound cam member of the presentinvention generally indicated by numeral 35. A slider jack loweringsurface 36 (FIGS. 2 and 4) is provided on the underside of this compoundcam and is effective on a butt 37 of the slider jack 24 to lower thelatter to a position where said butt 37 is in contact with the lowerinner surface of a jack stop ring 38 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The rockerjack is provided with an operating butt 39 and all of saidjacks prior to entering the area where they will or will not beselectively raised are rocked outwardly to position their butts in thesolid line position shown in FIG. 3.

A selected rocker jack 23 is raised to that position shown in FIG. 5whereby its operating butt 39 is in position to be engaged by a firstcamming surface 40 of the compound cam member 35 and is effective, asshown in FIG. 4, in raising all selected rocker jacks 23 to a knittingheight. In the plan view of the compound cam member in FIG. 7, theoperating butt 39 is shown engaging the first camming surface 40 of saidcam member which will raise the rocker jack to knitting height.

The compound cam member 35 also includes a second camming surface whichis identified in FIG. 4 by numeral 41. This camming surface 41 iseffective in engaging the operating butts 39 of all rockerjacks notselectively raised and to move the same to the inactive positiondepicted by the dotted line location of the rocker jack in FIG. 3. Whenthe nonselected jacks are moved to their inactive position this willcause them, as shown in FIG. 4, to move ineffectively below and in frontof the first camming surface 40. In the plan view of the compound cammember in FIG. 6, the operating butt 39 of a non-selected rocker jack 23is shown engaging the second camming surface 41 of said cam member whichwill cause said jack to pass ineffectively below and in front of thefirst camming surface 40.

After the rocker jacks have been rocked to the solid line position shownin FIG. 3 those which are to be ac tuated to perform their intendedfunction are raised by the selective actuation of their correspondingslider jacks 24. To actuate a rocker jack 23, its slider jack need onlybe raised a distance of approximately .100" which is about one half toone quarter of the distance that such jacks of known slider jack systemsare selectively moved. This shortened distance for selective movement ofthe slider jacks 24 is made possible by the relatively short distancewhich a rocker jack must be raised from a rocked position shown in FIG.3 to that position shown in FIGv 5 where it is at the required height tobe engaged by the first camming surface 40 of the compound cam member35.

To summarize the operation, as the cylinder is caused to rotate each ofthe non-selected rocker jacks 23 which had been rocked inwardly to aninactive position at a previous feed by camming surface 41 is engaged bythe presser cam 29 just prior to arriving at that position where it willor will not be selected to perform its intended function. Engagementwith the presser cam rocks the lower end of the rocker jacks outwardlyfrom the cylinder from the dotted to the solid line position shown inFIG. 3. At this time and in accordance with some predetermined patternchosen selector slide cams 26 are moved toward the slider jacks 24 toengage corresponding selector butts 25 thereon. The angle at which theselector slide cams 26 are disposed (FIG. 3) is effective in raisingeach corresponding slider jack 24 the required distance to raise itsrespective rocker jack 23 to that position shown in FIG. 5. In thisposition the operating butt 39 of the rocker jack is at a height whereit will be engaged by the first camming surface 40 of the compound cammember 35 and will raise said jack to engage and raise the lifter jack22 which in turn will raise the corresponding needle 13 to the properposition for it to perform its intended function.

All rocker jacks not selectively raised by the slider jacks, whichincludes any misaligned jacks, will have their operating butts engagedby the second camming surface 41 of the compound cam member 35 and iseffective in moving the lower end of said jack toward the cylinder tothe dotted line position shown in FIG. 3.

The number of needle actuating elements within each slot of thecylinder, their length, and the short distance they are required to moveto accomplish their intended purpose has reduced substantially thegeneration of frictional heat which is a well known problem of knownslider jack systems.

By decreasing the distance of selective movement of the jack elementsalong with the provision of a safety feature which assures movement ofall non-selected rocker jacks to an inactive position provides a meansfor operating a circular knitting machine at speeds substantiallygreater than has heretofore been possible.

Additionally the relatively short-distance which the jack elements arerequired to move in the performance of their functions provides asubstantially wider range of patterning possibilities for a greaternumber of selector butts 25 can be present on each slider jack and thereduced angle at which the selector slide cams 26 are arranged permits agreater number to be disposed one above the other.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with apreferred embodiment, it is to be understood that modifications andvariations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as those skilled in the art will readilyunderstand. Such modifications and variations are considered to bewithin the purview and scope of the invention and the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An improved jack actuating device for circular knitting machineshaving at least one feed and a rotatable cylinder with slots forslidably mounting a circular series of needles adapted to knit coursesat each of said feeds in forming tubular fabric, needle actuating jacksslidably mounted in each of said slots including a lifter jack and aslider jack, said slider jack having selector butts at a plurality oflevels thereon which are selectively movable by corresponding patterncontrolled selector slide cams in an upward direction to select saidneedles for knitting courses at said each feed, the improvementcomprising:

a. a rocker jack member in said each slot intermediate said lifter jackand said sliderjack having an operating butt adjacent one end thereofand being 6 movable in a radial direction to a radial position relativeto the axis of said cylinder by presser means and selectively upward toa predetermined height by said slider jack;

b. cam means having a first cam surface for engaging a second camsurface of said cam means for directing said rocker jack member when notselectively raised said predetermined height by its said slider jackinwardly from said radial position effected by said presser means to aninactive position to pass below and in front of said first cam surface.

PATENT NO.

DATED INVENTOR(S) 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OFCORRECTION 3,922,886 December 2, 1975 James D. Moyer It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, Line 9, after "system." delete 'engaged' and.

[SEAL] insert --In-.

A nest:

RUTH C. MASON Arresting Officer C. MARSHALL DANN Commissioner oj'laremsand Trademarks

1. An improved jack actuating device for circular knitting machineshaving at least one feed and a rotatable cylinder with slots forslidably mounting a circular series of needles adapted to knit coursesat each of said feeds in forming tubular fabric, needle actuating jacksslidably mounted in each of said slots including a lifter jack and aslider jack, said slider jack having selector butts at a plurality oflevels thereon which are selectively movable by corresponding patterncontrolled selector slide cams in an upward direction to select saidneedles for knitting courses at said each feed, the improvementcomprising: a. a rocker jack member in said eAch slot intermediate saidlifter jack and said slider jack having an operating butt adjacent oneend thereof and being movable in a radial direction to a radial positionrelative to the axis of said cylinder by presser means and selectivelyupward to a predetermined height by said slider jack; b. cam meanshaving a first cam surface for engaging said operating butt of saidrocker jack member when selectively raised said predetermined height bysaid slider jack to move said rocker jack member to an actuation heightto position its corresponding said lifter jack and said needle for saidknitting; and c. a second cam surface of said cam means for directingsaid rocker jack member when not selectively raised said predeterminedheight by its said slider jack inwardly from said radial positioneffected by said presser means to an inactive position to pass below andin front of said first cam surface.